Little Rock leaders OK temporary housing plan for college

Published 2:20 am, Thursday, September 8, 2016

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Little Rock city leaders have approved a plan calling for six temporary houses to accommodate an overflow of students at Philander Smith College.

The Little Rock college had budgeted for 650 students this school year — but 750 students enrolled. On Tuesday, the Little Rock Board of Directors approved plans for "Panther Village," a $1.2 million project that includes six multisectional manufactured homes to accommodate the students.

The homes will be placed on a vacant lot near the Dunbar Community Center.

Little Rock television station KATV reports (http://bit.ly/2bZmIZd ) that assembly work will begin as early as next week on the housing community. The housing units must be removed after two years, and Philander Smith plans to repurpose the site into a mix of residential and commercial properties.